Cherry-picker.



WWW/sow w. N. BRYB'RS.

Patented N0v.29, 1910.

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CHERRY PIGKER'.

APPLICATION FILED A116. 1910.

977,369. 7 Patented Nov. 29, I910.

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UNITED NT FFICE.

WILLIAIVI N. BRYERS, OF HELMER, MICHIGAN.

CHERRY-PICKER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I LIAQL N. Barnes, a citizen of the United States, residing at Helmer, in the county of Luce. State of Michigan. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cherry-Pickers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to fruit pickers, more particularly to cherry pickers of that general class having a pair of shears to sever the fruit stems and a sack assembled with the grips of the shears to gather the fruit.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a device of this character that may be conveniently carried in the hand, and

will have novel means for securing the sack to the grips of the shears so that the throat of the sack will be maintained open to per mit of the fruit being discharged therefrom without releasing the hand from the grips.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device with the shears shown in open position. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device with the shears shown in closed position. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the spring and shears grip members assembled. Fig. 4: is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 14, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the shears blades.

The reference character designates a U shaped frame the cross piece 11 of which is offset from the plane of the frame legs. One leg of this frame is hinged as shown at 12 to the cross piece 11 and is capable of being rocked toward the opposite leg of the frame. Formed on the outer face of each leg is an integral lug 13 through which and the leg a threaded opening 14 is formed to receive a set screw 15. The set screws 15 are provided on their opposed ends with nuts 16 which abut when the pivoted leg of the frame is rocked inward and serve to limit the inward pivotal movement of the leg. The opposed end faces of the pivoted leg and the cross piece abut when the leg is rocked parallel to the fixed leg and limit the outward pivotal movement of the leg. Arranged on the shank of each set screw is a pair of spaced nuts 17 and 18, one of which is advanced into engagement with the outer Specification of Letters Patent. Patgntefl N 29, 1910.

Application filed April 6,

1910. Serial No. 553,754.

face of the lug carried by the leg, and the other into engagement with the inner face of the leg whereby to lock the set screw in any desired position. Formed in the inner face of each leg adjacent its free end is a longitudinal rabbet 19 and a transverse opening 20 is formed in the leg to receive a set screw 21, this construction serving to adjustably secure a shears blade to the leg as will presently be described.

A spring loop 22 connects the free ends of the frame legs, this spring loop being preferably formed from a single length of rein making leaf springs. To form the loop a single length of material is looped upon itself as shown at 23 and its extremities then abruptly bent outward in the plane of the loop as shown at 24: and thence abruptly bent at right angles to the outwardly bent portion 24: so as to extend in a plane perpen dicular to the plane of the loop 22 as shown at 25, the extreme end of the material then being abruptly bent to extend parallel to the portion 2st as shown at 26. A circular opening is formed at each end of the loop 23 to receive the set screw 15 of the adjacent leg of the frame 10. It is clear that when the spring is assembled with the frame that the portions 24, 25 and 26 of the spring will present loops through which the fingers of the operator may be inserted in grasping the legs of the frame. up energy when the pivoted leg of the frame is rocked inwardly by the operator closing his hand to return the pivoted leg to its initial position as soon as the operator opens his hand.

A sack 28 formed from canvas or like material is secured to the spring loop 22 and frame 10. The sack is provided in its side with a U shaped recess sufficient in size to receive the frame and finger loops of the spring loop 22. The edges of the mutilated side of the sack are looped over the finger loops of the spring loop and that portion of the frame 10 lying below the finger loops and are secured thereto by a line of stiching 29.

The shears blades each comprise a curved blade 30 from which depends a shank 31 suflicient in size to snugly fit in the rabbet 19 above described. The blade and shank are preferably formed in a single piece, the blade being joined intermediate its ends to the shank and extending obliquely thereto silient material such as is commonly used The spring loop stores as shown. A longitudinal slot 32 is formed in the shank to receive the set screw 15 projecting into the rabbet 19, which permits of the shank being adjusted longitudinally in the rabbet as will be readily understood. The lower side of one blade is ground and the upper side of the mating blade is ground to provide the bladeswith cutting edges similar to shears blades of ordinary construction. The rear ends of the blades overlap when the pivoted leg of the frame 10 is in released position so that the fruit stem can not pass rearwardly between the blades and escape therefrom should the operator misjudge the location of the stem.

By virtue of the offset cross piece 11 being offset from the plane of the frame legs, the open end of the sack will be located beyond the extremities of the shears blades so that the gravitating fruit will at all times fall into the sack.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the construction and operation of my invention will be easily understood without a more extended explanation, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is l. A fruit picker, consisting of a frame having legs pivotally connected together, a

spring loop connecting the free ends of the legs and operating to hold the same spread apart, a sack having an open end the edges of which are secured to the loop and legs of the frame, and cutting blades adjustably mounted on the free extremities of the legs.

2. A fruit picker, consisting of a frame having its legs pivotally connected together, a spring loop connecting the extremities of said legs and normally holding said legs spread apart, means for limiting the move ment of the legs, a sack having an open end the edges of which engage said loop and frame, and a pair of curved cutting blades adjustably mounted upon the free ends of said legs.

8. A fruit picker, consisting of a yielding U shaped frame having its cross bar ofiset from the plane of its legs, an open spring loop connecting said legs and operating to hold the legs spread apart, a sack having an open end the edges of which are secured to the spring loop and frame, and curved cutting blades having depending shanks adjustably mounted on the free ends of said legs.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signa' ture, in presence of two witnesses.

W'ILLIABII N. BRYERS.

\Vitnesses JOHN TEED, JOHN STEPHENS. 

